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D-Day anniversary marked Thursday at New Orleans' National World War II Museum

D-Day Remembered at the WWII Museum

D-Day veteran and National World War II Museum volunteer Tom Blakey points to World War II memorabilia on display during the museum's D-Day anniversary celebration in 2009.
(NOLA.com/ The Times-Picayune)

The 69th anniversary of D-Day will be marked Thursday with several programs at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. The museum's recognition ceremony begins at 11 a.m. and features the Victory Belles, remarks by Normandy D-Day veteran Tom Blakey and the ringing of the Normandy Liberty Bell, according to the museum's website, http://www.ddaymuseum.org/.

At noon, author Hal Baumgarten will present "D-Day Survivor: An Autobiography.'' Baumgarten, a multi-decorated survivor of the invasion, gives his eyewitness account of the first wave landing of the 116th Infantry on D-Day, according to the museum website.

On June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 Allied troops landed on a 50-mile stretch of French coastline at Normandy to fight the Nazis. The troops were supported by 5,000 ships and 13,000 aircraft. More than 9,000 Allied troops were killed or injured in the assault on the heavily-fortified beaches.